Histological and histochemical studies on local coronary wall thickenings (cushions) in Finnish children who died violently. Cardiovascular risk in young Finns?
Coronary arteries of 93 clinically healthy Finnish children of both sexes were collected from successive, medicolegal autopsies of victims of violent death. In the histological and histochemical study, local, cushion-type thickenings of the coronary walls were demonstrable in 47, i.e. 50 per cent, of the children, the occurrence increasing with age. The most prominent change was the splitting of the internal elastic membrane and the accumulation of smooth muscle cells, forming a new, musculo-elastic layer. Glycosaminoglycans appeared in the luminal parts of the thickenings. There was an average decrease in the succinate dehydrogenase reaction in the cushion area, implying a degenerative process. The increase in the reaction of "injury markers", acid phosphatase and esterase based on the increase of cells rich in these enzymes, indicated pathologic process. It was concluded that change of this kind, demonstrable early in childhood, may dispose coronary arteries to atherosclerosis.
Raekallio
J
J
Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.
Hirvonen
J
J
Laaksonen
H
H
Möttönen
M
M
Nikkari
T
T
Pesonen
E
E
Ylä-Herttuala
S
S
Akerblom
H K
HK
D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000032:analysis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis
D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase; D000135:Acid Phosphatase